Ecological Restoration Guidlines for British Columbia

Adaptive Management and Ecological Restoration

(Adopted from Gayton 2001)

Adaptive management fits very well within ecological restoration. The principles of adaptive management combine research and monitoring with flexible management practices. By formulating clear restoration goals and then monitoring achievement towards these goals as the project develops, we create a "feedback loop" of continuous learning. Our restoration activity can then be modified and enhanced by that learning.

In the context of restoration, adaptive management consists of the following steps.

Step 1 - Problem Assessment
Participants define the scope of the damaged site or ecosystem, synthesize existing knowledge about it, and explore the potential outcomes of alternative restoration actions. Explicit forecasts are made about outcomes to assess which actions are most likely to meet objectives. During this exploration and forecasting process, key gaps in understanding the system (i.e., those that limit the ability to predict outcomes) are identified

Step 2 - Design
A restoration plan and monitoring program are designed that will provide reliable feedback about the effectiveness of the chosen actions. Ideally, the plan is also designed to yield information that will fill out the key gaps in understanding identified in Step 1.

Step 3 - Implementation
The restoration work is started. Effective restoration is usually a multi-step process, requiring not only installation, but also many years of maintenance.

Step 4 - Monitoring
Indicators are monitored to determine how effective the chosen actions are in meeting objectives, and to test the hypothesized relationships that formed the basis for the forecasts.

Step 5 - Evaluation
The actual outcomes are compared to the forecasts; the reasons underlying any differences are interpreted.

Step 6 - Adjustment
Practices, objectives, and models used to make forecasts are adjusted to reflect new understanding. Understanding gained in each of these six steps may lead to reassessment of the problem, new questions, and new options to try in a continual cycle of improvement for a given project and for others like it.

Some of the steps will overlap, some will have to be revisited, and some may be carried out in more detail than others. All steps should be planned in advance, though it may be necessary to modify them later. All six steps are essential to adaptive management; omission of one or more will hamper the ability to learn from restoration activities. In addition, documenting the key elements of each step, and communicating results are crucial to building a legacy of knowledge, especially for restoration projects that extend over a long time.